The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has rolled out admissions to its BS Degree programs in Data Science and Applications and Electronic Systems, providing students and working professionals an opportunity to get an IIT-quality degree without the necessity of clearing the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). This step falls under the institute’s long-term vision of making high-quality technical education accessible to everyone and ensuring a diverse learning environment.

These undergraduate degree programmes are formulated to meet the needs of a diverse group of students—whether recent Class XII passouts, working professionals, international scholars, or those who wish to change career lines. The programme structure’s flexibility, coupled with the elimination of hard entry hurdles such as the JEE and fixed seat constraints, has rendered these courses particularly attractive. Currently, more than 38,000 active students are pursuing the BS programmes, a testament to the increasing popularity of accessible and high-quality education in new disciplines.

Especially noteworthy is the growing number of participants from non-engineering disciplines and women. The present enrollment figures indicate that 25% of the students are women and 20% are above 30 years, indicating the programme’s popularity with working women and those looking to upskill mid-career. This is a radical shift from the traditional IIT student profile and is perceived as a healthy trend toward greater inclusiveness.

Although students who have cleared JEE Main are directly eligible, IIT Madras has also devised a means of opportunity for others. Candidates interested in pursuing the course can qualify themselves by taking a four-week online preparatory module and subsequently an offline qualifier test. This paradigm enables students to get accustomed to the pattern of learning as well as subject matter, thus enhancing their possibilities of getting through the entire programme.

The BS in Data Science and Applications is available to students from any study stream—Commerce, Science, or otherwise—if they have completed Class X with Mathematics and English as subjects. This broad eligibility criterion allows students from various streams of studies to establish careers in the fast-developing area of data science. Conversely, the BS in Electronic Systems mandates that students have taken Physics and Mathematics during Classes XI and XII, which brings it closer to conventional science education. Both the programmes are offered mostly online but necessitate that students appear for exams in person at centres located in India and other parts of the world.

One of the characteristics that distinguish these degrees is that they are flexible. The course is structured modularly so that students may learn in their own time and may study along with other undergraduate degrees or on a standalone full-time basis. Crucially, there is no age barrier to applicants and there are no limitations on numbers of seats available, which means this is the perfect chance for life-long learners and working professionals wishing to further develop technical abilities.

Emphasizing the quality and success of these BS programs, IIT Madras Director Prof. V Kamakoti said the initiative demonstrates the institute’s vision for educational inclusivity. “These BS programs demonstrate our vision to democratize access to IIT-quality education, empowering learners,” he added. “Three of the top 10 ranks in the GATE 2025 Data Science and AI paper being secured by the BS Data Science students, including the first rank, is indicative of the fact that this programme doesn’t compromise on rigour. By this, we are setting the stage for a more inclusive, future-ready India.”

The accreditation of BS Data Science students at national competitive examinations such as GATE is proof of the programme’s academic rigour and the capability of the programme to place students in career opportunities in the most advanced areas. The achievements of these students also help allay any fear or skepticism about the quality or seriousness of online degree programmes if offered by a top institution like IIT Madras.

Applications for the subsequent batch of both programmes are now open, and the closing date for the same is May 20, 2025. Candidates willing to apply should do so via the official portal of IIT Madras: https://study.iitm.ac.in/.

With this effort, IIT Madras is establishing a trend in reimagining the way elite education can be extended and given meaning to a larger segment of society. These BS programs are not mere academic programs—they are a movement toward a different model of higher education in India that is more inclusive, flexible, and forward-looking.